The present invention pertains to packaging for articles which are sensitive to physical shock and/or transient electrical charges and, more particularly, to a suspension package utilizing a composite of two common packaging components.
A wide variety of packages used to protect fragile articles are shown in the prior art. The shipping and storage of fragile articles, such as glass pieces and bottles, delicate instruments, and electronic components, all require protection against physical shock. In addition, delicate instruments and electronic components may also require protection against transient electrical charges, such as static electric build-up and discharge. Indeed, as the electronics and computer industries continue to grow, the hazards of static electric discharge and other transient electric currents to highly sensitive products become increasingly acute and must be prevented. Packaging materials must be made to protect these products as they travel through the uncontrolled environments in the chain of distribution, including initial packaging, shipping, handling, sale and end use.
A variety of suspension packaging systems have been developed for protecting fragile articles during shipment and related handling. Examples of these suspension packages are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,853,220; 4,606,459; 4,606,460; 5,056,665; and 5,226,542. In each of these patents, the fragile article is placed in a thin plastic sleeve or hammock and the ends of the hammock are closed and suspended between the opposite walls of an outer container made, for example, from corrugated paperboard or the like. The outer container is typically provided with means for tensioning the hammock between the supporting walls to assure that the hammock and fragile article remain suspended in the closed container. Other embodiments in the foregoing patents utilize more rigid plastic cradles which hold the fragile articles and are suspended between opposite walls of the outer enclosing container.
Another approach to suspension packaging is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,903,827; 5,183,159; and 5,218,510. In these patents, the fragile article is suspended between two layers of thin plastic film material, each of which films is supported by an outer frame and which frames may comprise the edges of an enclosing outer container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,510 also teaches the use of suspension film layers which are heat shrinkable and static discharge protective and which enclose both the fragile article and the outer container to provide a continuous conductive coating to protect against static electric discharge.
Packages which provide cushioning against physical shock and also protection against static discharge are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,241,829 and 4,557,379. However, neither of the foregoing patents utilizes an article suspension device as previously described. Prior art cushioned containers which conform to the size and shape of the article enclosed therein require multiple container shapes for articles of varying size and shape.
The prior art suspension packages, on the other hand, though capable of accommodating some range of articles of different shapes and sizes are typified by complex constructions and/or features which make article insertion and package closure tedious and time consuming.
There is a need, therefore, for a package and packaging method which utilizes conventional packaging components which are inexpensive, can be assembled easily and quickly, provide good protection against physical shock, and may be made static dissipative if required. In addition, a package having the foregoing features and which may be made to accommodate a broad range of product shapes and sizes would be particularly attractive from the standpoint of inventory reduction and packaging parts simplicity.